Selangor Sultan Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has firmly opposed the proposal to revert Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) back to its original name, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia. Speaking during UPM's 48th Convocation, the Sultan, as the university's Chancellor, emphasized that the name "Universiti Putra Malaysia" must be retained, as it was launched under his guidance to symbolize "Agriculture for the People." He also clarified that the name was chosen to honor Malaysia's first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj.

The Sultan's comments came after Agriculture Minister Mohamad Sabu suggested renaming the university to align with national priorities in food security and agriculture. However, the Sultan urged those unfamiliar with the university's history to understand the significance of its name before making such proposals.

UPM was renamed from Universiti Pertanian Malaysia to Universiti Putra Malaysia in 1997 to reflect its expanded focus beyond agriculture, now offering a diverse range of courses, including in science, information technology, and AI-powered agricultural innovation.